


Hero's & Savior's

by NeonCrayons



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Maria adopts Qrow, Maria only losses one eye to Tock, No actual spoilers, Qrow gets a Hug, Qrow is smol and needs love, Qrow leaves the bandits as a child, Raven is a mean big sister, References to V6Ep7, it'll just make more sense with context
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 02:04:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16944900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeonCrayons/pseuds/NeonCrayons
Summary: Cold, scared and alone.Qrow is lost in the woods, hunted by Grimm when a cloaked figure wielding a scythe appears out of nowhere to save him from an early death.His soul was saved that night by none other then The Grimm Reaper.





	Hero's & Savior's

**Author's Note:**

> No actual spoilers for V6Ep7 but it'll make more sense if you've watched it. 
> 
> Beta by CrystalRosa19

Qrow knew he wasn't supposed to wander off alone, that he was meant to stay by his sister’s side, together, like they always were. That it always was a bad idea to go off alone, unprotected, without the other members of the bandit tribe to watch their backs.  

 

Ever since he was young, there wasn’t a single moment that Qrow could remember where he wasn’t surrounded by other people and for the most part, he didn’t mind. It was safer that way, for he had overhead many times the whispers that went around the camp of the horrors outside, of the beasts that roamed around always hungry, but never sated. Of the people outside too, never to be trusted, lest they lure you in with promises made only of lies and deceit. 

 

So yes, the young boy knew the moment he snuck away, he would be in a world of trouble. He really did! But sometimes Raven could be so  _ mean _ to him. 

 

The two of them had been outside the camp, practicing with their training swords, when Raven made a mistake with her footing and had fallen down, scraping her knee badly on a rock hidden in the ground. As soon Qrow saw what happened, he immediately tried to go and help his twin, but once he'd gotten close, she'd yelled at him- screaming that it was his fault she had gotten hurt and to stay away from her. Hurt, he could only stare at her and when Raven still glared at him, the beginnings of anger stirred and he threw his practice sword in her direction and stormed off. He couldn’t stand to look at her a moment longer. 

 

Out of all the people he expected to turn on him like that, Raven wasn’t one them. She knew better than most how his Semblance worked and was well aware that it didn’t affect her like everyone else. But no, she still had to go and push her failure onto  _ him _ , regardless of how that would make everyone dislike him even more. 

 

Qrow wasn't blind. He could see how the bandits, ever since he had awoken his Semblance, had started to avoid him. He could see the wariness and at times, fear, in their eyes grow whenever something bad happened- even if it was only something small. Now, anything and everything that went wrong was usually blamed on him and his curse, whereas Raven was usually praised for her achievements. What smiles they gave her turned instantly to frowns whenever he approached. 

 

Bitterness welled up, and Qrow furiously marched ahead, uncaring of where he was going. Hell, they would probably be  _ glad _ to be rid of him for awhile. Him and his unluckiness. But it wasn’t like he  _ meant  _ for anything to happen- it just did, no matter how many times he had attempted to try and control his ability. It never worked. 

 

An hour passed by without his notice before Qrow slowly started to calm down. For the first time, he became aware of his surroundings and now he was beginning to regret his decision to run off the way he did. The sky was starting to grow dark, the sun lowered until it was just hovering above the horizon, and he had no idea where he was. Looking around, Qrow couldn’t spot a single familiar landmark that indicated he was close to camp, which meant that he was  _ definitely  _ lost. In a forest infested with monsters. Great, just great….

 

Shivering with what was definitely cold and not fear, Qrow tried to remember which way he came from. When he came up blank, he stood there for a minute longer, debating what the wisest course of action was- to sit here and hope that someone found him, or to just pick a random direction and pray it was the right one? He wasn’t even sure if anyone was even looking for him….if they even realized Qrow was missing. Or if they did, but just decided to abandon him to the elements regardless… he wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. 

 

Determined that his best chance of survival would be to pick a direction, he made up his mind and chose to go left, not hesitating once. As he walked through the darkening forest, he focused on the sounds of wildlife, listening closely for anything that was out-of-place, intent on not getting caught off-guard by anything. Usually, if everything went silent, not even the birds chirping, that meant something dangerous was close by. At least, that was what Qrow was told. 

 

Slowly, another hour passed by and the sun sunk lower, shadows lengthening on the ground, with Qrow coming no closer to finding the camp. Finally, too tired to continue searching, he found a small clearing and sat down at the foot of the largest tree surrounding the meadow. Wrapping his arms around his legs and burying his head in his knees, he began to quietly cry. It was hopeless! Knowing his luck, he would probably die out here- if not from hypothermia, then definitely as food for the Grimm. 

 

This was all Raven's fault! If she hadn't pushed him away and blamed him for her mistake than he wouldn’t be here, in this situation. She was his older sister and she  was supposed to look out for him. Not lie and brush him aside just because it was easier….

 

Suddenly, a vicious howl rent the air, and Qrow jerked to his feet in horror, knowing  _  exactly  _ what that sound meant. He immediately began to watch the trees and bushes surrounding him for signs of movement. Deep inside, he had still hoped they wouldn’t find him, even if he was aware that probably wouldn’t be the case; alone as he was and without any means to defend himself, he was a prime target. 

 

Unsure of what else to do, Qrow closed his eyes and concentrated on the howling, trying to guess which direction it was coming from. When he was certain he knew, Qrow began running as fast as his small legs could take him in the opposite direction, hoping to get far enough away that they wouldn't be able to sense his negative emotions anymore.  

 

But the sounds never faded into the distance. They kept following him, coming closer and closer whenever he dared to slow down. 

 

Eventually, no matter how hard he tried to keep going, Qrow’s legs gave out on him and he collapsed to the ground, panting harshly- unable to catch his breath. Tired and shaking from fear, eyes brimming with tears, he just lay there. Resigned to his fate. 

 

A perfect waiting meal for the Grimm. 

 

Soon enough, one of the Beowolves finally found him. The forest went silent. 

 

‘ _ Huh,  _ he thought absently,’  _ looks like they were actually right about that.’  _ Qrow would have laughed if he had the breath to. But all he could do was stare up at the twilight sky, hearing its heavy footsteps coming ever closer. Hear its puffs of air as it sniffed for his scent, and hear its triumphant growl as it found it. 

 

But, it wasn’t until the beast came a couple of feet near to where he was, lying helpless on the ground, that Qrow felt a fresh burst of courage enter his heart. 

 

_ He didn't want to die!   _ Not like this. If he was going to die, there way no way in hell was he just going to give up and passively let this Grimm devour him. Qrow wasn’t a  _ coward-  _ for regardless of how he felt about them, his tribe had taught him better than that. If he couldn’t escape, then he was damn well gonna make sure the beast  _ earned  _ its meal! 

 

Mind resolved, his eyes darted around for anything he could use to fend off the monster. Spotting a tree branch, Qrow pushed his exhausted body up and rolled to the side, picking up the branch and brandishing it like a sword. It wouldn't be the best weapon, but it would have to do. Taking a deep breathe, the boy readied himself for the oncoming attack. 

 

The Beowolf didn’t disappoint. As soon as it saw its prey had moved, it let out a savage snarl and bolted towards him. Qrow didn’t have time to doge before it's enormous claws come down at his impromptu weapon, and knocked it from his hands. Vulnerable once again, the boy put up his hands defensively and activated his aura. 

 

When the wolf struck next, it sent him flying into one of the many trees behind him, and with a gasp, he fell to the ground, feeling his aura shake. It wouldn't last another hit like that. For once, he wished his Semblance would activate and actually  _ help _ him! 

 

He tried to get up, aware that he didn’t have long before the monster turned on him again- and yep, there it was, already bearing down upon him. It was so close he could smell its foul breath and in that moment, Qrow knew that this was it for him. There was no way he could hope to avoid it.

 

Just as it was near enough that Qrow could see his reflection in its eyes, suddenly, with quick slashes he barely caught, the wolf collapsed- dead. 

 

The boy stared, stunned. He couldn’t believe what had happened. He wasn’t sure if what he even saw was correct… for it looked like what was possibly a reaper had come and saved him. 

 

“Are you hurt, child?” The hooded figure asked him gently, snapping Qrow out of his daze. Maybe it was luck or perhaps divine intervention…. or hell, it could have been his Semblance! He wasn’t sure, but he didn't care what brought the this person (women? It sounded like a girl) to him. He was just grateful it did. 

 

Looking closely, he saw that her face was mostly hidden by a mask shaped like a skull, and that she wielded a scythe. His eyes focused on her weapon, entranced by how beautiful it was. From the intricately carved blue skull to the finely crafted staff and the well-sharpened blade, Qrow had never seen a more amazing weapon in all his life. 

 

“No, I’m okay,” he responded finally. He would probably get in trouble if his tribe knew he talked to this stranger, but to hell with it.  _ She  _ was the one who saved him, not them, and Qrow’s anger from before returned with a vengeance as he remembered how he ended up in the mess to begin with. “But thank you for saving me.”

 

The woman nodded, accepting his thanks. “What are you doing out here alone, anyways? “ she asked curiously. “It's dangerous, as you just learned. Where is your family?” 

 

Qrow looked down at his feet. “I don't know. I got lost after running away from my sister.”. 

 

Approaching him slowly, so as to not startle the boy, she placed a hand under his chin and lifted his head back up so that she was able to look him in the eye. “what is your name?” 

 

“I'm Qrow.”

 

“Hello Qrow, I'm Maria Calavera. But most people call me the Grim Reaper,” she said. Letting him go, the woman pulled the mask from her face and clipped it to her belt before lowering her hood, offering the boy a smile. 

 

Now that he could see her properly, Qrow though she looked just as cool as her weapon did. She had brown hair with light strips of grey- the only thing that truly said anything about her age- and soft, golden skin that looked almost blemish free, if not for the distinct scar poking out from beneath the bandages covering one of her eyes. Her other eye was a bright silver.

 

He could tell just by looking at her that she was like no other person he'd ever met- everything about her screamed strength. Even missing an eye, Qrow knew she was not a women to be trifled with. 

 

He watched with awe as Maria pressed a button on the side of her weapon and the blade folded itself up, leaving only an unassuming cane. Seeing the boy’s expression change, and his eyes follow her weapon, Maria began twirling the it in her hand.  His expression brightened even further. “You like my Scythe, do you dear?” 

 

Qrow nodded. “It's so cool! And you used it to save me.” he said, still tracking the skull head as it twisted and spun in her hand. 

 

“No, it didn’t. And now that you are safe, how about we find the way back to your family, hm? I’m sure they must be worried sick.” 

 

The boy’s face fell at her words, “you’re wrong,” he said quietly. “if anything, they’re probably glad that I’m gone.”

 

She frowned. For a boy his age to say that…. that couldn’t be right.” What do you mean?” Maria asked gently. 

 

Qrow sniffed, trying to suppress the tears he could feel beginning to fill his eyes again. He thought back to his tribe, and the way they treated him as soon as they discovered what his semblance was. The sneers, the suspicious glances, the whispers. “The whole tribe camp hates me. They all say I'm cursed.…” he muttered, not looking at her.  “Not that they’re wrong- my Semblance will always bring bad luck to everyone around me.”

 

Suddenly, he could feel arms encircle him, pulling him into a warm embrace. He froze. It had been so long since anyone had touched him in any way that didn't bring pain, let alone hugged him in such a way. Overwhelmed, his tears finally began to fall and he wrapped his arms around this strange woman, who had shown him more kindness in mere moments than his  _ family _ had in months. 

 

Maria let the boy cry into her cloak. This poor child… he was indeed lost, in more ways than just the literal. She knew how that felt- to be shunned and hunted, hurt and pushed away, because of a power you were born with and had no say in. 

 

Once Qrow’s tears had started to dry up, she wiped his cheeks lightly, brushing away the tear tracks still dampening his face. “I understand,” she told him softly, “people thought I was cursed too when I was young, and they tried to hunt me down for a power I was burden with… I power I never asked for.”

 

The boy looked up at her, his eyes wide with a empathy for something no child so young should have. “Misfortune is an old friend of mine, I doubt I'd even notice a little extra bad luck here and there…” she went on, ruffling his hair, “so you’re welcome come with me. I'm not going anywhere in particular, but the journey is always more interesting with a companion.” 

 

“Y-you want me to come with you?” Qrow asked, his tone a mix between hopefulness and disbelief. 

 

Maria nodded, “Only if you would like to,” she confirmed, “the decision is yours to make.” 

 

Slowly, Qrow started to smile, unable to stop. This…. was unlike anything that he dared to dream of, and the sheer happiness and relief that filled him was unlike anything that he'd ever felt before. Nobody had ever wanted him because of his curse. They had pushed him away and scorned him and even his twin acted like he was nothing but a burden to her.

 

But, he had to make sure that this offer was sincere first. There was no use getting his hopes up, after all. Looking into Maria’s eyes, Qrow searched for a sign that she was lying, or simply acting out of pity. However, all he could see was genuine care and honestly. 

 

He made his decision. 

 

“Ok, I’ll come with you,” he declared, voice strong. “Wherever your going, I'll go too.”

 

“Very well then,” Maria said, standing up. “How about we search for somewhere to sleep for the night and tomorrow, we can begin our journey.” She offered the boy her hand. 

 

Gripping it tightly, Qrow nodded. Even if all he had was her name, he was willing to entrust this woman with his life. Others may call him a fool, but he didn't care. 

 

Maria Calavera had already won over his damaged heart with nothing more then a kind smile, a warm embrace and a sad, but still fiery look of resolution that burned brightly in her single silver eye… 

 

Qrow didn't know how he knew, but he was sure meeting her would end up being the greatest luck of his life. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So i have soooo many feelings after that latest episode, and this is what i do when left unsupervised. lol
> 
> I might end up writing more for this AU, but as of right now it's only a one-shot. perhaps after I'm ahead a few more chapters on my Ruby & Yang Age Swap fic I might do more... But no promises.
> 
> Also! I have a new RWBY First specific Blog @drunk-bird-dad fell free to check it out!~ :)


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